Love Me Won't You?
by Co2
Summary: It's been five years since Naruto Uzumaki came back. Once the blabbering, annoying blonde kid, suddenly, Naruto's grown to be quite the catch of Konoha.
1. The Return

Disclaimer: Woohoo...if I own Naruto...wow, imagine the possibilities, but, as it turns out, I don't. 

Yep...I've been itching to do a Naruto fic, so I finally decided to do one.

Chapter 1-The Return

_'Ahh...a brisk spring morning outside the peaceful village of Konoha, the birds are chirping, the flowers are in bloom, and..._

_"NARUTO!"_

_...the ninjas have begun spring training._

_"Naruto!" A shrill voice belonging to a girl with bright pink hair drawn to her shoulders, green eyes, and a booming voice stood over a blushing, blonde haired young boy who was scratching the back of his head nervously._

_"S-Sakura-chan...you know I didn't mean it, I mean, you just happened to be standing there when-"_

_"When you decided to grab my butt, nice try wise-ass!" Sakura cut Naruto's sentence short, eyes gleaming with fury._

_Naruto looked down again and blushed before answering, "Sakura-chan, don't be like that, I'm going to be gone for a long time and I'd thought that you'd want something to remember me by-"_

_(THUD)_

_The sound of Sakura's fist pounding its way through Naruto's face sounded like metal, and felt like it too, considering the amount of blood that Naruto was spewing from his nose._

_"Baka!" Sakura stomped off angrily with her fists clenched as Naruto continued to lie on the ground twitching in pain._

_Ahh...but that was years ago...five, to be exact.'_

Naruto now laid back his head to rest on the bark of the tree he was resting against, he chuckled in amusement of the memory and sighed, "Good times, good times."

A loud voice jerked him out of his sentiment.

"Naruto! Hurry up! We've still got three hours of traveling yet before we reach Konoha." The voice of a boisterous yet youthful man in his early fifties, long white hair tied back in a low ponytail and a mischievous grin called out to Naruto, waving at him in a forwarding motion.

"I know, I'll be right there." Naruto mumbled dismissively as he closed his eyes, concentrating on a single thought.

_"She'll be there..."_

In the streets of Konoha...

'Sakura...Sakura! "

Sakura turned to face the direction of the feminine voice, a girl about Sakura's height, blonde hair, and passive eyes.

"Ino! What's up?" Sakura turned to face her friend.

Ino took a moment to catch her breath. "Didn't you hear?"

"Hear what?" Sakura questioned her friend curiously, studying her.

Ino's jaw dropped, "You haven't heard? I thought you might have heard from Sasuke, seeing as you two are together..." Ino paused for a moment, "Naruto's back, everyone's going to see him and welcome him back, even the Hokage."

'_Even Tsunade-sama?_' Sakura pondered for a moment, " That's nice...I'll see him later." Sakura chimed quietly as she turned to walk away.

"No!" Ino grabbed Sakura by the shoulder, making her turn around in surprise, "I-I mean, Sasuke's already expecting you there, you don't want to disappoint him." Ino stuttered grabbing Sakura's hand against her will as they took off toward the Konoha gates.

"Ino! I didn't say that I would come anyway! " Sakura managed to get out in spite of the cheering crowd in front of them.

"Aw come on, you don't want to see your old training buddy? Why?" Ino questioned Sakura, curious for an answer.

Sakura gave Ino a funny look, "C'mon, I mean, it's Naruto, the last time I saw him, he was still the same annoying little kid, really, I would rather kiss-"

Sakura stopped short as she stared at the man she saw before her, dressed in a black and orange version of his previous outfit, her thoughts interrupted her, '_Who is this? Certainly not the boy that preceded this grown, handsome being, even his height accentuates his features, no, surely, this can't be..."_

"-Naruto."

"Sakura-chan..."

Sakura immediately looked up as she was brought back from her thoughts and found herself staring at the one person whom she thought shewould never face with such stupor.

"Sakura-chan, are you alright?" Naruto asked gazing directly into Sakura's eyes.

"Uh...Yeah, I'm fine...of course, welcome back Naruto."Sakura held out her hand in gratitude. _'His voice got deep... and he's way taller than me now, he must be six foot...I'm not used to seeing such a grown up Naruto.'_

Naruto took her hand in his and smiled, "Really Sakura-chan? That's all you've got to say to me after five years? We really need to catch up sometime, maybe this afternoon at-" Naruto was cut off by a familiar voice.

"-Sakura! There you are!" Sasuke's voice carried over the crowd as he ran over to Sakura , kissed her on the cheek and put his arm around her, pulling her close. "Hey, Naruto, welcome back man, it's been lonely without you here." Sasuke grinned as he stared at Naruto, giving him a thumbs-up.

Naruto could feel the lump in his throat, "It doesn't seem like it was that lonely." Naruto grit his teeth as his eyes jumped from Sakura to Sasuke.

Sakura felt as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders as Sasuke and Naruto continued to stare at each other, the tension between them getting tighter by the second.

At that moment Sakura felt a tap on the shoulder as she turned to face Ino who leaned over and whispered in her ear,

"Good luck stranger..."

Yep..that's the first chapter, it's shorter than I usually make my chapters but, hey, this is what fit.  
Hehe. Review what you think! Thanks!


	2. Confrontations of the Mind

Disclaimer: Don't tease me like this...you'll give me an ulcer! No...I don't own Naruto. 

A/N: Hey guys, I'm really sorry that I don't update like I should, which is forever, and the OOC-ness, that's just what makes the story work, but things in my life have just kind of...I don't know, let's just say that I am in way over my head! Oh, and the _italics_ are thoughts. Enough of my babbling.

Chapter 2-Confrontations of the Mind

"Ahh...what a nice day..." Sakura smiled as she gazed out of her open window into the streets of Konoha, gazing at the early shopper's and merchants, smiling at the little kids going to the training academy.

'Seems like yesterday that I was a student just like them, nothing to obligate myself with.'

Sakura mused with herself as she got dressed for the day...which was all figured out...

1. Shopping.

2. Work

3. Lunch

4. Back to Work

5. Training

6. Dinner

7. Bed

That is...if she could fit the training in...lately she had been slacking in that department since she started working with Ino, and, of course, dating Sasuke. Her love interest since she was 12.

Of course, her lunch breaks didn't consist of eating, or even training for that matter, they were just an excuse to see Sasuke for an hour.

Finally satisfied with herself, she marched down her stairs to a tune, which soon came to a screeching halt.

_'Whose voice is that?'_

Sakura pondered this question as she stopped halfway down the stairs, realizing a conversation was going on between her parents, and someone else in question, soon another voice of her mind stepped in.

_'You know who it is'_

_'I don't know what you're talking about.'_

_'Oh yes you do.'_

_'Really? Such as?'_

_'You're chicken...'_

_'Am not!'_

_'Then explain why you're not confronting the voice in question.'_

_'...'_

_'That's right, you're afraid, you're afraid of even looking at him. He's changed a lot within five years, hasn't he?'_

_'Of course he has, he should after five years, it's only natural, and I'm not afraid to look at him, come on now, this is the boy that used to annoy me to no end, believe me, I'm used to it by now."_

_'Are you so sure about that? You didn't look too comfortable yesterday, especially when Sasuke showed up...explain that to your thick head.'_

_'I don't have time to let my own conscience mock me'_

With that, Sakura shrugged the raging war in her mind to the side as she slowly headed down the stairs. That is...until she ran back upstairs to look at herself in the mirror.

_'Oh crap, how do I look?'_

_'Oh, like total crap, especially when you tell Sasuke about your little "Naruto" problem...'_

_'You can just shove a kunai up your semi-conscious ass and leave me alone'_

_'Fine...whatever you say.'_

With that, she gave a final grin, one of hope and desperation as to not look like a total idiot, she finally headed down the stairs with the lightest of heart.

"Hi Mom, Hi Dad." Sakura walked into the kitchen without even a glance to the boy who stared at her intently as she opened the refrigerator door.

"Good Morning to you too, Sakura." The blonde answered coyly, holding back a satisfactory grin as he glanced at the teaspoon he played with in his left hand thoughtfully.

Sakura feigned a look of suprise as she looked over at him, "Oh, Naruto, I didn't see you there, I didn't realize you were here."

_'Liar'_

_'Don't start with me again'_

At this point, it was better, Sakura had decided, to sit down before she made anymore of an ass of herself. "So, Naruto, what are you doing here?"

Naruto looked at her with intense eyes, "I could say the same about you..." Still fiddling with the teaspoon between his fingers he gave her a serious look. "Of course, not that you would notice."

_'Burned...'_

_'When are you going to shutup?'_

_'Let's just say the 12th of Never, your true feelings will come out, and when they do, you'll really be in trouble if you don't act now.'_

_'What would you know? You don't know me...'_

_'Oh don't I? I am your conscience you know.'_

_'That's it, I'm going crazy, I'm going to check myself into a psycho ward and that will be the end of me...'_

_'How are you going crazy?'_

_'I'm talking to you, is that apparent enough?'_

_"Nah, Naruto's going to do that job for me...'_

_'Look, my patience is running thin.'_

"Sakura?" Naruto peered at the pink haired girl curiously as she seemed to be troubled over something.

"What? No Sakura-Chan?" Sakura teased as she flaunted a grin in his direction.

Naruto took one swift look at Sakura in the eyes before turning to look at her parents, "Mr. Haruno,  
Mrs. Haruno, thank you very much for the tea and your hospitality." With a quick bow he walked toward the doorway, stopping to turn and look at Sakura, "I had hoped that you had matured Sakura, but, now I see you're still just a child." With that he left the residence, leaving Sakura with her jaw dropped to stare after the blonde she never thought would mature, was now more mature than she was.

"Ahem..." Sakura's father chimed as he got up from his chair, "I think I'll go deliver those baked goods to the bakery."

"I need to do the laundry..." Sakura's mother also chimed as they left the kitchen to leave Sakura with her thoughts.

_'What...was that?'_

_'Sakura...we need to talk.'_

Ok guys, that's end of the second chapter! No, Sakura does not have a mental problem, she's just struggling between different sides of her brain, her "inner Sakura" if you will. Well, review please and tell me what you think! Thanks guys.


	3. One Night's Events

Disclaimer: Right...because the creators of Naruto are just going to hand me everything one day...no, as of yet, I don't own it. 

A/N: AHHH! Starts crying I'm so sorry guys...I completely shoved fanfiction to the side, my life just got worse right now, but, luckily I found time to update a chapter! I'm so sorry, I'm such a slowpoke with this story! Well...hopefully you guys will like this chapter...

Chapter 3-One Night's Events

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_"I had hoped that you had matured Sakura, but, now I see you're still just a child."_

This thought ran itself over in Sakura's head as she walked toward the flower shop located a few blocks from her house, feeling like she had just been hit by a train, she slowly mulled over the earlier morning events.

"Hey Sakura "

_'It just got worse.'_

Sakura turned around only to be caught in Sasuke's warm embrace.

"Sasuke...you didn't call me last night...I was worried after you left so suddenly...is everything alright?"

The look in Sasuke's eyes frightened her, his expression bent with doubt as she questioned him with her eyes.

He finally gave a small gulp and looked down at the ground, "I'm...being recruited by ANBU Sakura, I won't be coming back to Konoha for some time..." He paused to look up at Sakura, whose green eyes were flooded behind a veil of tears.

After a few minutes, Sakura forced the lump in her throat down enough so that she could speak, "Umm..how long, is.. 'some time'?"

Sasuke paused, and took a sharp intake of breath, "About a year or so, it's really not that bad, I mean-"

Sasuke's words were suddenly muffled when Sakura's lips contacted his with a sharp tinge of anguish and sorrow. His arms found a way around her shoulders in a soft embrace that sent shivers up Sakura's spine as she released her binding kiss. Their heads pressed against each other as Sakura's playfully teased Sasuke's hair.

"Sasuke...I...I don't want you to go, please don't go. It's going to be too much for me to bear, can't you tell Tsunade-sama"  
"-I can't...Sakura, I'm under strict orders from both her and the village, they need all the help they can get, they need me...Orochimaru is still on the loose, I need to help us win this raging war, Konoha is one of the few villages that he hasn't trampled...yet."

"-But, I thought you had everything fixed with the cursed seal...you said that everything was-"

"I know..what I said Sakura, and I'm sorry...but this is something that I feel that I must do. Please understand..." With this last remark, Sasuke kissed Sakura gently on the forehead as he walked off in the direction of the Hokage's office.

As Sakura watched Sasuke walk away, her legs on impulse followed him, speeding up by the second as she struggled to catch up with him.

"Sasuke! Sasuke wait up!"

Sasuke's feet pounded the ground faster than Sakura could keep up with, even with her training, she was still no match for him.

Sakura could feel her eyes burning as she no longer felt herself struggling to cry, the tears found themselves flowing down her cheeks as she could no longer see Sasuke in sight. Exhausted, she stopped and looked up at the sky, allowing her vision to become blurred as the clouds grew dark and a thunder clap rang clear across the air. It was at that point, the raindrops began to fall.

"Damn you..." Sakura choked as she lowered her head, clenching her teeth as a huge bolt of lightning lit the sky, causing the light rain to turn into a downpour, drenching Sakura as she stood her ground, not know how long she had been there, letting her anger build.

_'I...I can't take this anymore...'_

"DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL! WHY? WHY DID YOU HAVE TO TAKE SASUKE? HE DIDN'T DESERVE THIS! Sakura screamed...her body trembling with power as her thoughts clouded with confusion.

_'What about Sasuke...he didn't even...'_

"He didn't even tell me goodbye...he just left me here, he just ran off, he couldn't have at least walked me home or...or...god...I can't take it...I can't..."

Sakura closed her eyes as she collapsed on her knees and bent her head back letting the rain cry for her.Opening her mouth she let out a series of raging screams that seemed to echo off of every building in Konoha. All of the energy completely drained from her body, Sakura found herself veering to the right as her body hit the soft muddy street while her vision fell to darkness.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Sakura stirred in her sleep, tossing from one side to the other, finally sitting upright as her eyes fluttered open.

_'What?'_

Sakura rubbed her eyes slowly as she took a swift glance at her surroundings.

"Woah...where the hell am I?"

She found herself staring at an old clock, a calendar with a naked woman posing, clothes everywhere on the floor...and even a strange bed.

_'Wow, what's going on? I can't even remember what happened over the last 24 hours. Let's see, this is obviously some guys bedroom...what could I have been doing in some random-'_

Her eyes suddenly went wide with shock.

"Oh...shit."

_'This is Naruto's bedroom...isn't it?'_

_'Naw...really sherlock? You couldn't tell by the bright orange walls?'_

_'Shutup.'_

_'Or the fact the smell of pork ramen is filling the air?'_

_'Shut it...'_

_'Or the face that Naruto's name is printed on the DOOR?'_

_'That's it, I've had it, I'm going to-'_

"Sakura...you're awake..."

Sakura's head spun in Naruto's direction, her eyes wide, her head...confused.

"Naruto...what am I doing here?" Sakura looked around as she swung her legs over the bed to stand up.

"Sakura...I wouldn't advise trying to stand up yet...you're still-"

"Ahh...!" Sakura winced in pain as she fell back on the bed, clutching her face, which was strangely warm.

"-Recovering..." Naruto finished his sentence as he ran over to Sakura, putting covers over her.

"Oww...what the hell? What's happening to me?" Sakura cried out in pain as she continued to wince.

Naruto's eyes fell over her, concerned, a side that Sakura had never seen before.

"You were found outside last night, lying down in the middle of the street in the pouring rain..."  
Naruto turned and placed a bowl of ramen next to her on a table. "It's still hot, so, wait a little bit before you try it."

"Naruto...what was I doing outside in the rain like that?" Sakura's eyes were cloudy...and for some reason, they hurt a lot.

"You tell me...Kiba brought you over here last night, he's the one that found you...him and Akamaru were running some late-night errands, he said you were just laying there in a puddle of water, curled up in a ball, apparently you looked like you cried yourself to sleep."

Sakura concentrated hard on what Naruto was telling her, searching, for some sort of link that would unravel what had happened, but nothing had come to mind.

"Do you remember?" Naruto prodded her gently, his hand on her shoulder.

"No...for some reason, nothing comes to mind...nothing within the last 24 hours..." Sakura shook her head, stupified at her own disoriented state.

Naruto looked down and to the side, "So then, you don't remember me coming to your house yesterday morning, and sitting in your kitchen.."

Sakura lifted her head. "Nope. Why?"

"Nothing, nothing. It was just, something I said yesterday that.." Naruto looked at a puzzled Sakura, her eyes searching for answers. "...Nevermind, it's...not important. Get some rest."

Naruto turned to leave, Sakura's mind racing, or was it not her mind...?

"Naruto..."

Naruto stopped as he was about to open the door, he turned slowly and faced her with a questioning sorrow.

"Naruto...you've uh...you've, been really kind to me lately, I just wanted to say, thank you."

Naruto released a small smile, not showing teeth, but just lifting up the corners of his lips slightly. "You're welcome, Sakura."

With one last glance, Naruto swifly closed the door leaving Sakura alone with her thoughts...and a bowl of hot ramen.

Hey guys...that's chapter three...things kind of took a little bit of a twist...but, it's all for the better anyway. I'm so so so sorry about the lateness guys, I don't know what life's going to throw at me next, so, I'm going to try to get chapter 4 up as quick as I can..thanks. Read and review...thanks.


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